Delosperma plant named ‘Jewel of Desert Garnet’

ABSTRACT

A new cultivar of  Delosperma  plant, ‘Jewel of Desert Garnet’, characterized by its compact plant habit, its very floriferous and long blooming flowering habit, its high heat tolerance, and its flowers that are red-orange with pink centers and yellow anthers.

Botanical classification: Delosperma cooperi.

Variety denomination: ‘Jewel of Desert Garnet’.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is co-pending with U.S. Plant Patent Applications filed for plants derived from the same breeding program that are entitled Delosperma Plant Named ‘Jewel of Desert Rosequartz’ (U.S. Plant patent application Ser. No. 13/199,787), Delosperma Plant Named ‘Jewel of Desert Moon Stone’ (U.S. Plant patent application Ser. No. 13/199,823), Delosperma Plant Named ‘Jewel of Desert Topaz’ (U.S. Plant patent application Ser. No. 13/199,826), Delosperma Plant Named ‘Jewel of Desert Ruby’ (U.S. Plant patent application Ser. No. 13/199,812), and Delosperma Plant Named ‘Jewel of Desert Peridot’ (U.S. Plant patent application Ser. No. 13/199,815).

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Delosperma plant, botanically known as Delosperma cooperi ‘Jewel of Desert Garnet’ and will be referred to hereinafter by its cultivar name, ‘Jewel of Desert Garnet’. The new cultivar of Delosperma is a herbaceous perennial grown for container and landscape use.

The new cultivar was derived from a controlled breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Ichinimiya-City, Aichi-Pref, Japan. The overall purpose of the breeding program was to develop new cultivars of Delosperma plants with low-growing and well-spreading growth habits combined with long flowering periods and a unique range of flower colors.

‘Jewel of Desert Garnet’ was selected in the Inventor's trial garden in November 2006 as a single unique plant from amongst the seedlings derived from self-crossing an unnamed plant from the Inventor's breeding program in May 2005. The Inventor's reference No. for the parent plant is 2005-1.

Asexual propagation of the new cultivar was first accomplished by softwood cuttings in 2009 by the Inventor in Ichinimiya-City, Aichi-Pref, Japan. Propagation by softwood cuttings has shown that the unique features of the new cultivar are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the characteristics of the new cultivar. These attributes in combination distinguish ‘Jewel of Desert Garnet’ as a unique cultivar of Delosperma.

-   -   1. ‘Jewel of Desert Garnet’ exhibits a compact plant habit.     -   2. ‘Jewel of Desert Garnet’ exhibits a very floriferous and long         blooming flowering habit.     -   3. ‘Jewel of Desert Garnet’ is highly heat tolerant.     -   4. ‘Jewel of Desert Garnet’ exhibits flowers that are red-orange         with pink centers and yellow anthers.

The parent plant of ‘Jewel of Desert Garnet’, Ref. No. 2005-1, differs from ‘Jewel of Desert Garnet’ in having a less compact plant habit, in blooming for a shorter time period, and in having flowers that are pink in color with a yellow center. ‘Jewel of Desert Garnet’ can be most closely compared to the cultivar ‘Jewel of Desert Rosequartz’. ‘Jewel of Desert Rosequartz’ differs from ‘Jewel of Desert Garnet’ in having a less compact plant habit, in having light pink flowers with white and yellow centers, and in being less heat tolerant.

‘Jewel of Desert Garnet’ can also be compared to cultivars with co-pending patent applications from the same breeding program, which differ most significantly in flower color:

‘Jewel of Desert Moon Stone’ has white flowers with yellow anthers.

‘Jewel of Desert Topaz’ has yellow-orange flowers with red petal tips, white-light purple centers, and yellow anthers.

‘Jewel of Desert Ruby’ has red flowers with deep pink and white centers and yellow anthers.

‘Jewel of Desert Peridot’ has yellow flowers with white centers and yellow anthers.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearance and distinct characteristics of the new Delosperma. The plant in the photograph is 3 months in age as grown in a 7-cm container in a unheated greenhouse in Noordwijkerhout, The Netherlands.

The photograph in FIG. 1 provides a side view of ‘Jewel of Desert Garnet’ in bloom.

The photograph in FIG. 2 provides a close-up view of the foliage of ‘Jewel of Desert Garnet’.

The photograph in FIG. 3 provides a close-up view of a flower of ‘Jewel of Desert Garnet’. The colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description, which accurately describe the colors of the new Delosperma.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The following is a detailed description of three month-old plants of the new cultivar as grown in 7-cm containers in a unheated greenhouse in Noordwijkerhout, The Netherlands. The phenotype of the new cultivar may vary with variations in environmental, climatic, and cultural conditions, as it has not been tested under all possible environmental conditions. The color determination is in accordance with The 2007 R.H.S. Colour Chart of The Royal Horticultural Society, London, England, except where general color terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   General description:     -   -   Blooming period.—Mid April to mid September in             Noordwijkerhout, The Netherlands.         -   Plant type.—Herbaceous perennial.         -   Plant habit.—Compact, well-spreading, horizontal.         -   Height and spread.—Reaches about 5 cm in height and about             12.2 cm in diameter with mature plants reaching up to 10 cm             in height and 30 cm in spread.         -   Cold hardiness.—Observed to be hardy to U.S.D.A. Zone 7.         -   Environmental stresses.—Highly heat tolerant.         -   Diseases.—No more susceptible or resistant to diseases than             other Delosperma cooperi varieties, diseases are typically             not a problem for Delosperma cooperi, except when grown with             too much moisture.         -   Root description.—Fibrous roots.         -   Propagation.—Softwood cuttings.         -   Growth habit.—Moderately vigorous. -   Stem description:     -   -   Shape.—Round.         -   Stem color.—145B with older stems 152D.         -   Stem size.—Lateral branches; an average of 2.5 cm in length             and 2 mm in diameter.         -   Internode length.—An average of 10 mm.         -   Stem substance.—Succulent.         -   Stem surface.—Moderately glossy, sparsely to moderately             pubescent with very short glandular hairs; an average of 0.2             mm in length and about 155C in color.         -   Branching habit.—Basal branching with an average of 8             lateral branches per stem. -   Foliage description:     -   -   Leaf shape.—Ligulate, triangular in diameter.         -   Leaf substance.—Succulent.         -   Leaf division.—Simple.         -   Leaf base.—Cuneate.         -   Leaf apex.—Acute.         -   Leaf venation.—No veins visible.         -   Leaf margins.—Entire.         -   Leaf arrangement.—Opposite.         -   Leaf surface (upper and lower surface).—Slightly glossy,             slightly pubescent with very short glandular hairs; an             average of 0.2 mm in length, 155C in color.         -   Leaf color.—Young upper and lower surface; 144B, base 145B,             mature upper and lower surface; 143A, base 144B.         -   Leaf size.—About 3.8 cm in length and 4 mm in width.         -   Leaf quantity.—Average of 6 (3 pairs) per lateral branch.         -   Leaf attachment.—Sessile. -   Inflorescence description:     -   -   Inflorescence type.—Flowers solitary.         -   Flower number.—An average of 2 per lateral stem, 16 per             plant in a 7-cm container.         -   Flower fragrance.—Faint, sweet and pleasant.         -   Flower aspect.—Outward to upright.         -   Flower longevity.—A few days.         -   Flower type.—Single.         -   Flower size.—Average of 2.5 cm in diameter and 0.7 cm in             depth.         -   Flower buds.—Broadly ovate to oblong in shape, an average of             11 mm in length and 7 mm in diameter, color; 144B, tip 143A.         -   Calyx.—Rotate in shape, average of 5 mm in depth and 1.5 cm             in diameter.         -   Sepals.—5, rotate, ovate in shape, margin entire, an average             of 6 mm in length and 3 mm in width, broadly acute apex,             broadly cuneate base, upper and lower surface is smooth and             dull, color: opening flowers upper and lower surface; 145A,             tip 143A, color mature flowers upper surface and lower             surface; 143A.         -   Petals.—An average of 34 per flower, rotate and slightly             curved, narrowly oblanceolate in shape, upper and lower             surface is smooth and moderately to highly glossy, margin             entire, apex obtuse, base cuneate, an average of 1.0 cm in             length and 1.75 mm in width, color: opening flowers upper             surface; 42B, base 58A, opening flowers lower surface; a             blend of 53A and 60A, base 64B, fully opened flower upper             surface; 60A, base 64B, fully opened flower lower surface; a             blend of 64A and 72A, fading upper surface; 60D, base 64C,             fading lower surface; 72C.         -   Petaloids.—An average of 30 per flower, rotate and near             vertical surrounding stamens, lanceolate in shape, apex             obtuse, base truncate, upper and lower surface moderately to             highly glossy, margin entire, apex obtuse, base truncate, an             average of 4 mm in length and 1 mm in width, color; mature             and immature upper and lower surfaces; 64C, fading upper and             lower surface 64D.         -   Peduncle.—Average of 2.4 cm in length and 1.5 mm in             diameter, straight on top of lateral branch at 0°, 145C in             color, surface moderately glossy, sparsely to moderately             pubescent with very short glandular hairs. -   Reproductive organs:     -   -   Pistils.—About 5, triangular shaped stigma, style and stigma             (not distinguishable) are an average of 2 mm in length and             144A in color, ovary is 144C in color.         -   Stamens.—Average 60, anthers are dorsifixed and narrowly             oblong in shape, an average of 0.5 mm in diameter and 13A to             13B in color, filaments are 2 mm in length and 155D in             color, pollen is moderate in quantity and 14A to 14B in             color.         -   Fruit.—Fruit and seed production was not observed under the             conditions tested. 

1. A new and distinct variety of Delosperma plant named ‘Jewel of Desert Garnet’ as described and illustrated herein. 